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Noosa Nationwide Park is a spotlight of the attractive seaside city of Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
The free park options beautiful coastal and forest trails, quiet seashores, and loads of birds and wildlife, all simply accessible from Noosa Primary Seaside.
Don’t anticipate to have the paths to your self because it’s widespread with locals and guests for walks, runs, and browsing. Yow will discover quiet spots, although, particularly in the event you head inland. Dawn is my favorite time to go to.
Throughout my three months in Noosa, I visited the park many instances for runs and walks.
On this publish, I share the most effective walks in Noosa Nationwide Park with decisions for all skills from a brief coastal stroll to longer trails that go deeper into the park’s quieter sections.
You’ll discover a Noosa Nationwide Park map close to the top of the publish.
Contents
The way to Get to Noosa Nationwide Park
This publish focuses on the Noosa Headland part of Noosa Nationwide Park. That is by far the most well-liked space of the park with probably the most strolling trails.
The place to begin for all of the Noosa Nationwide Park walks beneath (besides #7) is the Noosa Nationwide Park automotive park, which is 1km or a 3-minute drive from Hastings Avenue and Primary Seaside in Noosa Heads (the hub of Noosa).
Parking on the Nationwide Park automotive park is free and is 4P (restricted to 4 hours). There are extra areas simply exterior the automotive park going through the ocean and on Mitti Avenue which are 2P (two hours solely).
Whereas there are many areas, they do replenish quick. For a morning stroll, I’d arrive by 8am (ideally earlier) to ensure a spot.
If the surf is up, it may even replenish earlier. On one excessive event, I couldn’t get parked at 6.20am (10 minutes earlier than dawn in July) as a result of there have been so many surfers.
Late afternoon can be a better time to get a parking area, particularly if 2P is sufficient for you.
The instances and distances for the walks beneath are from the Nationwide Park automotive park. If you’re staying on Hastings Avenue, it’ll be simpler to stroll to the park. This provides an additional 1km/ 15- 20 minutes every means.
The stroll from Hastings Avenue is nice. From the top of Primary Seaside observe the trail subsequent to Park Highway up the hill. You’ll quickly attain an elevated boardwalk which takes you to the park entrance previous Little Cove Seaside with some beautiful views on the way in which.
The Alexandria Bay stroll (#7 beneath) begins in Sunshine Seaside and is way simpler to get parked at.
Noosa Nationwide Park Services
On the Noosa Nationwide Park day-use space subsequent to the automotive park there are bogs, picnic tables, electrical BBQs, ingesting water, a map, and a small espresso kiosk (open 7am – 1pm).
On the path, the one bogs are simply previous Tea Tree Bay (about quarter-hour into the Noosa coastal observe).
Ensure you take all of the water and snacks you want.
If you wish to eat earlier than or after your stroll, see our detailed information to the greatest eating places in Noosa together with choices in Hastings Avenue and Sunshine Seaside (at both ends of the coastal observe).
What’s the Finest Stroll in Noosa Nationwide Park?
For those who solely have time for one of many walks in Noosa Nationwide Park, make it the Coastal Stroll, which is among the greatest issues to do in Noosa.
The total path is 10.8km return, however you don’t must hike the entire strategy to take pleasure in great views. Under I’ve included choices for walks from 20 minutes to 2.5 hours.
The stroll is simple to observe and is pretty flat with solely small hills on the way in which to Hell’s Gates (it’s hillier previous there however nothing too difficult).
The gorgeous path is partly by way of bush (attempt on the lookout for koalas, though we had no luck) with some extra uncovered sections.
There are ocean views nearly the entire means, and in the event you do the complete stroll, you’ll stroll on the lengthy seaside at Alexandria Bay.
For those who don’t need to do the entire Noosa Nationwide Park Coastal Stroll, I like to recommend Stroll #2 beneath to Hell’s Gates.
Noosa Nationwide Park Walks
1) Noosa Coastal Stroll to Tea Tree Bay
Distance: 1.5km out and again
Time: 20 minutes
Whole elevation achieve: 26 metres
The primary part of the Noosa Coastal Stroll from the automotive park to Dolphin Level is paved and wheelchair accessible.
If you’re quick on time or power, you may simply stroll to Tea Tree Bay and again on the straightforward path (with only a few small inclines).
Boiling Pot Lookout is the primary cease on the coastal path, simply 5 minutes from the beginning. In tough circumstances, you’ll be able to see the way it bought its title because the surf crashes into the rocks.
You can even see Tea Tree Bay within the distance.
On calm days you may get fortunate and see turtles (though we by no means did).
An extra five-minute stroll from Boiling Pot you’ll attain the beginning of Tea Tree Bay, the prettiest seaside in Noosa Nationwide Park.
This can be a widespread surf spot, however on calm days it may be good for a swim (simply watch out because it’s unpatrolled).
There are bogs simply previous Tea Tree Bay—the one ones on the path.
There are indicators saying to look out for koalas within the bushes subsequent to Tea Tree Bay, however these at the moment are very uncommon within the park and we’ve by no means seen one.
You will notice loads of bush turkeys, although! And in the event you hear a loud, human-like cackle, it’s most likely a kookaburra.
For those who solely desire a quick stroll, flip again at Tea Tree Bay. If you need a style of the rainforest too, you may add on the quick Palm Grove Stroll (#5 beneath) as soon as you come back to the automotive park.
If you’re strolling from Hastings Avenue, the stroll to Tea Tree Bay can be about 3.5km and 50 minutes return.
2) Noosa Coastal Stroll to Hell’s Gates
Distance: 5.3km out and again
Time: 1 hour quarter-hour
Whole elevation achieve: 68 metres
For those who can, it’s nicely price persevering with additional alongside the coastal observe till Hell’s Gates. The views simply get higher!
See Stroll #1 for particulars on the primary part of the path. 5 minutes previous Tea Tree Bay is the following lookout, Dolphin Level, which is a slight detour off to the left.
Sadly, we’ve by no means seen dolphins right here however it’s at all times price a glance.
From right here the path is now not paved—it’s a sandy/packed grime observe.
10 minutes previous Dolphin Level is Granite Bay, one in every of my favorite elements of the stroll. The path opens up with unobstructed views right down to the pebbly/sandy Winch Cove and smaller Picnic Cove.
You hardly ever see anybody on these seashores because it’s a steep observe down, it’s not protected for swimming, and at excessive tide, the seaside disappears. The occasional adventurous surfer makes it out right here.
About 10 minutes additional alongside is among the most Instagrammable spots in Noosa Nationwide Park, the Fairy Swimming pools. These are usually not signposted or on any official maps as it’s important to clamber down slippery rocks to achieve them.
They’re marked on Google Maps (see our map beneath). After Picnic Cove you’ll attain two stone benches after which a rope fence on a headland. When the rope ends, go away the path and stroll down the rocks to the swimming pools.
When the ocean is calm (low or mid tide is greatest), you’ll be able to float within the small swimming pools amongst the rocks.
Actually, I don’t perceive their excessive recognition. More often than not they appear fairly harmful with the ocean crashing into the swimming pools.
To get the right photograph you want simply the correct circumstances with the solar shining into the swimming pools making them a translucent blue.
The Fairy Swimming pools are about 35 minutes from the beginning of the coastal path and 5 minutes earlier than Hell’s Gates, the final cease on this model of the stroll.
After strolling on a flat part of open path with panoramic views (and we noticed a wallaby as soon as), you’ll attain the eroded sandstone outcrop on the tip of the peninsula.
You’ll be able to see stunning Alexandria Bay right here, however you’ll get a greater view in the event you proceed on the path for a couple of minutes.
There are a couple of log benches at Hell’s Gates and that is the most effective spot to take a break and look out for dolphins (which we did see!) and in winter, whales.
For those who don’t need to full the complete coastal path, that is the best turnaround level. If you need an extended stroll, see walks #3 and #4 beneath.
3) Coastal Stroll and Tanglewood Observe
Distance: 7.2km loop
Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Whole elevation achieve: 109 metres
My favorite Noosa Nationwide Park stroll (and run) is to take the Coastal Stroll to Hell’s Gates (as described in #2) and proceed about 5 minutes previous it the place there’s a turn-off to the Tanglewood Observe.
Following the Tanglewood again to the automotive park is an extended however a lot quieter route and takes you thru beautiful, ever-changing rainforest and eucalypt forest alive with birdsong.
The path is slightly uphill at first however then ranges off earlier than descending to the automotive park.
If you wish to run in Noosa Nationwide Park, I like to recommend beginning the coastal observe earlier than 6.30am because it will get very busy and it’s troublesome to cross individuals on the slim path. The inland tracks like Tanglewood are a lot quieter.
4) Coastal Stroll to Sunshine Seaside
Distance: 10.6km out and again (to the highest of Sunshine Seaside steps)
Time: 2.5 hours (plus breaks)
Whole elevation achieve: 190 metres
When you have the time and power, contemplate the complete Coastal Stroll to Sunshine Seaside.
Comply with stroll #3 above and proceed on previous Hell’s Gates. The path takes you right down to Alexandria Bay, an extended, remoted seaside that’s often quiet (though widespread with nudists).
The ocean is mostly too tough for swimming, and there are not any services right here, however it’s a ravishing spot.
Stroll alongside the seaside till you see the path signal on the different finish. Then stroll up the rocky steps by way of the bush—the toughest a part of the stroll up to now.
As soon as on the prime, there’s a shocking view of Sunshine Seaside. We turned again right here because it’s a steep climb right down to the seaside if you’re simply going to show again round.
If you wish to go to the Sunshine Seaside cafes (simply inland from the surf membership), it’ll most likely add an additional 1km every means. You would additionally take a bus or Uber again to Noosa from right here.
In any other case, return the way in which you got here.
5) Palm Grove Stroll
Distance: 1.1km loop
Time: quarter-hour
Whole elevation achieve: 21 metres
The Palm Grove Stroll is a really quick and straightforward path by way of the forest that begins behind the bogs on the automotive park.
It’s typically missed so it may be a peaceable add-on to a brief coastal stroll in the event you don’t need to do the for much longer Tanglewood Observe.
The spectacular bushes embody piccabeen palms, strangler figs, tuckeroos, crow’s ash, and kauri pines. The birds could be loud!
6) Noosa Hill Stroll
Distance: 2.8 km out and again (or 3.7km loop)
Time: 45 minutes
Whole elevation achieve: 140 metres
Noosa Hill Stroll is among the quietest trails within the nationwide park—I noticed nobody else after I ran it! The NP map manages expectations by saying that the observe has restricted views, so maybe this places individuals off.
Whereas I wouldn’t advocate doing this in the event you solely have time for one stroll (the coastal observe is extra scenic), it’s undoubtedly price doing if you’re on the lookout for a steeper or extra peaceable stroll.
From the automotive park, stroll down the coastal observe for about 50 metres and also you’ll see the yellow signal to the Hill Stroll on the correct.
It’s uphill all the way in which to the summit, however it’s not too steep. You cross by way of open forests of blue gums, ruby-sapped bloodwoods, and Moreton Bay ash bushes.
Whereas there are not any sweeping views, you do get glimpses of the ocean by way of the bushes all through, and it was particularly beautiful within the morning gentle.
There’s a 150-metre detour up a rocky, slim part of the path to the summit. The view wasn’t any higher than what you see on the way in which up, although.
You would return again the way in which you got here, however I did an extended 3.7km loop again by way of a signposted hyperlink observe, which connects to the Tanglewood Stroll (go proper on the junctions).
I like to recommend this manner again as you cross by way of denser and extra assorted forests.
It could be much less steep in the event you begin on the Tanglewood first—this Alltrails web page for the Noosa Hill Observe to Tanglewood Observe says the three.5km circuit takes a median of 1 hour with 116m of elevation achieve.
7) Alexandria Bay Stroll
Distance: 4.2km out and again
Time: 50 minutes
Whole elevation achieve: 118 metres
The Alexandria Bay Stroll is the one one on this listing that doesn’t begin on the Noosa Headlands automotive park.
As a substitute, it begins on Parkedge Highway within the suburbs of Sunshine Seaside (marked as Alexandria Bay Stroll on Google Maps). Despite the fact that solely road parking is out there, it was by no means busy for us.
This was our favorite afternoon stroll once we knew getting parked at Noosa Headlands can be troublesome.
There’s a map on the entrance and it’s simple to observe the purple indicators. The pleasurable stroll takes you thru the forest (with one open part with ocean views) to the attractive seaside at Alexandria Bay and again.
There are some small hills however nothing too difficult.
If you need an extended stroll, you’ll be able to connect with the coastal stroll on the seaside.
Noosa Nationwide Park Map
Is Noosa Nationwide Park Value Visiting?
Sure, Noosa Nationwide Park is a should do on any journey to Noosa! Even in the event you solely have time for a brief stroll to Tea Tree Bay, it’s nicely price doing particularly because it’s so near Primary Seaside.
The Coastal Stroll is the spotlight of the park, however if in case you have the time, the attractive forest trails are a good way to flee the crowds.
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